RM Winter 2016 FLIP

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Reading Matters
Teaching Matters
| 52| Reading Matters | Volume 16 • Winter 2016 |
Incorporating technology into the classroom requires
knowing when traditional methods are best and when the use
of technology may improve and extend instruction. A focus on
strategic learning coupled with content and technical expertise,
whether on paper or plugged in, promotes instructional
balance. Many educators are devising ways to incorporate
technology-focused media and interfaces and are seeking
methods of using technology that extend the learning instead
of falling into the mindset of simply replacing our paper and
pencils with tablets and laptops (Celsi & Wolfinbarger, 2002).
Using technology in the social studies classroom allows
the teacher to apply constructivist principles to his or her
instruction (Dils, 2000). Incorporating technology as a means
of conducting inquiry in social studies provides students
with practical experiences that can be transferred to other
aspects of social studies instruction. This article provides
teachers with literacy-based instructional strategies for social
studies that can be both unplugged and plugged in.
Cognitive Strategies for
Comprehension
Researchers agree that teachers who are aware of student
thinking are better able to support student learning (Lee,
Irving, Pape, & Owens, 2015; Marzano, 2009; National Reading
Panel, 2000). Quality formative feedback improves student
understanding and knowledge construction. Therefore, when
strategies are taught for making sense of texts, and when
learners understand how the construction of knowledge occurs,
they are better able to discern how to best demonstrate their
skills and strengths. When students have the power of choice,
motivation increases (Bender, 2002; Diller, 2011; Wilson &
Conyers, 2000). The following two activities provide for student
choice in demonstration of understanding, increasing both
autonomy and purpose while striving for mastery of skills.
Unplugged
A think-tac-toe consists of a nine-square grid, much like
the grid used to play a traditional tic-tac-toe game (see Figure
1). Each square is centered on a common theme, but differs
by learning preference or perceptual modality. Students
complete three activities to form a tic-tac-toe line, just as they
would in a traditional game, and are encouraged to choose
activities they feel would best demonstrate their skills. Think-
tac-toe can be used specifically to differentiate instruction by
adjusting the board according to student reading levels or
instructional needs. It also serves as an effective tool to address
multiple learning preferences while teaching the same topic.
The activity is most effective when students are familiarized
with the concept of learning preferences and given instruction
on cognitive processes (Dotger and Causton-Theoharis, 2010;
Lee, Irving, Pape, & Owens, 2015). The effectiveness of think-
Tac-Toe as an instructional activity is bolstered by its ability to
create a more engaging and meaningful learning experience
for students. It is also a flexible strategy that can be used
across the curriculum and can be applied to multiple content
areas (Dotger and Causton-Theoharis; Samblis, 2006).
Another primary strength of this strategy is its customizability.
Think-tac-toe activities can be designed to be similar from topic
to topic (to provide students with a consistent experience), or
can be modified and adjusted to provide students with a unique
experience each time, regardless of the focus standard. The
example in Figure 1 shows nine activities that showcase student
learning focused on the theory of a land bridge between what
have become our modern continents, using the theory of multiple
intelligences (Gardner, 1983). Teachers in fifth grade could also
organize the think-tac-toe with inventions in columns and higher
order thinking skills in rows (see Figure 2). This way, students are
exploring each of the inventions required by SC state standards,
but have choice in which ways to showcase their understandings.
Much the same way, teachers in kindergarten and first grade
can use their columns for Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson,
Dorethea Dix, Frederick Douglass, Mary McLeod Bethune,
and Franklin D. Roosevelt (see first grade indicator 1-3.3).
Traditional with a Twist: Implementing Unplugged
andWeb-based Literacies in Social Studies
Leah Pettit, Converse College; Edward Bertrand, Converse College
Mark Fleming, Converse College and Julie P. Jones, Converse College
Figure 1. Unplugged Think-Tac-Toe